Behold

These People Love Waiting in Line to Be Part of Live Studio Audiences

Myra Jo Arvin: aka Pretti Tree Peace, is in California to be with her two sons, and to further her career as a writer/poetess/actress. Shows: Let's Make a Deal, The Talk, Deal or No Deal, Arsenio Hall, Ricki Lake
Myra Jo Arvin, aka Pretti Tree Peace, is in California to be with her two sons, and to further her career as a writer/poetess/actress. Shows: Let’s Make a Deal, The Talk, Deal or No Deal, Arsenio Hall, Ricki Lake.

Stephanie Diani

During her years living in Los Angeles, Stephanie Diani was intrigued whenever she passed the long lines of people waiting to get into television show tapings. She wanted to create a series that spoke to the diehard aspect of being serial studio audience members.  

“It just seemed so Hollywood and sad and funny, and I always wanted to shoot them and I could never figure out how to do it,” she said.

When Diani decided to follow through on a lifelong dream and leave L.A. for Manhattan, she quickly put out a casting call for people who had been to at least four tapings to create the series “Live Audience!” Diani decided to recreate the studio audience effect and photographed her subjects using studio lights. She gave them direction about what to wear as well as instructions to act out specific emotions for fake television shows, similar to what they would hear from directors during tapings.

“During the tapings, they really orchestrate the audience,” she said. “They take you through emotions before the show starts, then tape the show and get actual reactions but they use both [in the final edit]. I decided to take these people through fake scenarios that showed extreme emotion.”

She photographed about 18 people in one day and then edited them to show one larger image with little expression paired with four smaller images that show a wide range of more exaggerated emotion. She also asked each person to write a one-sentence biography and to list all of the shows for which they had been part of the studio audience.

Amy Harber: Ohio-born model/actress/writer/sportshumorist and culinarygoddess who sometimes defies science. Shows: Dancing with the Stars, ChelseaLately, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Judge Judy, Deal or No Deal
Amy Harber is an Ohio-born model/actress/writer/sports humorist and culinary goddess who sometimes defies science. Shows: Dancing with the Stars, Chelsea Lately, The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, Judge Judy, Deal or No Deal.

Stephanie Diani

Mark Sipka: an actor/comedian living in LA who performs a lot of sketch and improv shows each week. He loves laughing and making people laugh. Shows: Jimmy Kimmel Live, Let's Make a Deal, The Price is Right, @Midnight, Chelsea Lately, The Chase
Mark Sipka is an actor/comedian living in L.A. who performs a lot of sketch and improv shows each week. He loves laughing and making people laugh. Shows: Jimmy Kimmel Live, Let’s Make a Deal, The Price Is Right, @Midnight, Chelsea Lately, The Chase.

Stephanie Diani

Participants are regular live audience members wearing what they would typically wear to a formal taping. During the shoot, they were told to react to a series of fictitious show scenarios. Deon Mason: born and raised in Los Angeles, has been doing live audience work for over ten years. Shows: Catch 21, Family, Instant Recall, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, America's Court
Deon Mason, born and raised in Los Angeles, has been doing live audience work for more than 10 years. Shows: Catch 21, Family, Instant Recall, The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, America’s Court.

Stephanie Diani

In the end it turned out to be—at least shooting-wise—one of the shorter projects Diani has worked on but she enjoyed the fast pace. (Her series about burlesque performers of a certain age was featured on Behold last year.)

“At the end of the day, I had a chunk of images, the project was kind of ripping it off like a Band-Aid,” she said. “It was kind of hilarious. They all did a really great job.”

Kim Afreeka: filmmaker and social activist, born in Harlem, raised in Brooklyn and currently residing in Los Angeles. She runs her own media production company and urban youth academy. Shows: In It To Win It, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2x), Queen Latifah (2x), Arsenio Hall, BET Experience award show, Grammy pre-awards, Bill Maher, The Price is Right
Kim Afreeka is a filmmaker and social activist, born in Harlem, raised in Brooklyn, and currently residing in Los Angeles. She runs her own media production company and urban youth academy. Shows: In It to Win It, The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (twice), Queen Latifah (twice), Arsenio Hall, BET Experience, Grammy pre-awards, Bill Maher, The Price  Is Right.

Stephanie Diani

Sadia Carone speaks five languages and loves poetry and jokes. She is also fascinated by television. Shows: Rita Rocks, Judge Judy, Judge Joe Brown, Divorce Court, Judge Alex, America's Court, Jeopardy!, The Price is Right, Celebrity Name Game, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, The Talk, Queen Latifa, BOOM!, Slideshow Riot, Comics Unleased, Dr. Phil, The Doctors
Sadia Carone speaks five languages and loves poetry and jokes. She is also fascinated by television. Shows: Rita Rocks, Judge Judy, Judge Joe Brown, Divorce Court, Judge Alex, America’s Court, Jeopardy!, The Price Is Right, Celebrity Name Game, The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, The Talk, Queen Latifa, BOOM!, Slideshow Riot, Comics Unleased, Dr. Phil, The Doctors.

Stephanie Diani

Brett Chapin: is the co-host and creator of LA LA Land Talk, a weekly entertainment talk show on LA TalkLive, dedicated to Los Angeles entertainers of all kinds. Shows: The Chase, Bet on Your Baby, Riot, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Idiot Test, Wizard Wars, Hello Ross, Judge Judy
Brett Chapin is the co-host and creator of LA LA Land Talk, a weekly entertainment talk show on LA TalkLive, dedicated to Los Angeles entertainers of all kinds. Shows: The Chase, Bet on Your Baby, Riot, The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, Idiot Test, Wizard Wars, Hello Ross, Judge Judy.

Stephanie Diani

Terrell Medley: actor, songwriter. Shows: American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Arsenio Hall, Judge Brown.
Terrell Medley: actor, songwriter. Shows: American Idol, Dancing With the Stars, Arsenio Hall, Judge Brown.

Stephanie Diani